Fortune Favours the Bold
by Refraction of Light
Summary: Ash finds himself alone in Kanto drifting from city to city. As he reminisces on old friends he starts to wonder if he's any closer to becoming a pokemon master. A flyer catches his eye and he thinks maybe this is it.


**A/N Ok this is my first pokemon Fanfic and my first try at writing since a brief and horrible stint a few years ago. This story is actually based on my desktop wallpaper. Kinda random I know. The picture is of a more adult looking Misty walking past ash wearing her old outfit plus a goldeen mask covering her face. Ash doesn't seem to notice her but pikachu does.I'd appreciate reviews and feedback so please feel free to tell me what you think. As for shipping I'm personally a pokeshipping fan, but for this story I'm not too sure. No matter how this first chapter seems I'm not going to focus on romance. Right now I think Ash would end up with Misty, you never know though. I might pair him up with some other girl bit and Misty with some guy. They may break up or they may not. It all depends on what the character's voices say in my head.**

**This chapter is really short but it's just a prologue.**

**Disclaimer" I do not own the pokemon franchise and no money is being made off of this fanfic.**

**Oh I thought it would be better for me to say when I posted a chapter. It always kinda irked me that I couldn't get a good read on how often a person updates so I decided to just put up the dates I first posted each chapter.**

**AN2 I just had to edit this**

**Posted 5/25/2014**

**First edited 5/27/2014  
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They hadn't seen each other in years. That was the thought going through pokemon trainer Ash Ketchum's head as he walked through the festival. Various people walking past all wearing masks of different Pokémon on their faces, something he was looking forward to doing. At least until he saw that golden mask. It just had to remind him of her.

"I wonder how she's doing Pikachu." He asked as he placed his little electric starter on his shoulder.

"Pika?"

"Nevermind it's nothing" he sighed

As thoughts of his first travelling companion entered his head he could not help but reminisce. He was travelling alone now. It's not that he wanted to be alone, but all his friends were busy doing their own thing. He knew Brock wanted to be a pokemon doctor. Tracey was busy assisting professor Oak. Gary was trying to make a name for himself as a pokemon researcher as well as trying to look for leaf.. Dawn and May were travelling through other regions busy with their coordinating careers. Iris and Cilan were still in Unova. And Misty… He had no idea where the fiery red head went. He tried visiting her gym when he got back, but her sisters told him she left a couple of months back and had no idea where she went or when she'll be coming back.

He didn't know what to do. He could always take the league again but he just wasn't feeling it. So he just spent his time drifting. Revisiting various places and training his pokemon. Yet it still felt so empty, he did not know whether it was due to the lack of traveling companions or he felt that no matter what he did he seemed so far away from his goal. He felt like a Magikarp being pulled away from the tide without any hope of ever evolving into a Gyarados.

Will I ever make it?

Do I have what it takes?

Can I really become a pokemon master?

These were the thoughts going through his head. Kinda funny if you think about it. He always told her he was going to be a pokemon master and now that she wasn't there to constantly make fun of him for it he was beginning to have his doubts.

"I don't know what to do Misty." Speaking out loud he stared into the horizon, past all the people milling about just going through their own lives "I wish you or Brock were here to set me straight."

"Pi Pikapi, pika ka chu Pikachupi chu pika chaa" said the little electric rodent hoping to get his trainer out of this sudden funk, jumping onto his head and making himself comfortable.

He grinned took one last look at the golden mask then started walking. "Thanks Pal" He told his little buddy. Pikachu was probably right just moping about it and whining to himself about how he missed his friends was not going to help him.

_I guess I should head back to Pallet for now mom probably misses me. And I should check up on all my pokemon at the lab._

Turning towards the sun he does not see the figure approach him. A look of longing and fondness in her gaze, only to turn at the last second and pick up the mask he had been eying earlier. Too deep in his thoughts of how he could get closer to his goal.

Seemingly coming to a decision Ash shook his head trying to clear it careful as not to throw his little friend. As he was about to walk away, to leave the festival and take the trip that would lead him back to where it all began. Something caught his eye. On a bulletin board not too far from his right, underneath various colorful flyers and random ads, there was a rather plain set of papers haphazardly tacked to the cork.

He wasn't sure why he was drawn to it maybe it was the large glaring letters promising adventure, yet he found his feet bringing him closer to the innocuous pieces of paper. Gently taking one he started reading. The more he read the more he wondered. Thoughts racing through his head, was this what he needed to do?

"_Maybe I should give it a shot." Ash thought. "Although it might not be what I was looking for and it might not actually help, what is life without a little risk?"_

Taking a deep breath he continued on his way pocketing the flyer as he went. To Pallet where he would have to make a choice to carry on with his journey like the past six years or to embark on an entirely new path never noticing the redhead walking away from his back, nor pikachu's cries of attention. If he did he would have seen a flash of red hair and a slowly retreating back. And so the raven haired trainer walked on his way to make a choice as the girl in her yellow top and denim shorts without the usual suspenders, a Goldeen mask covering the bittersweet smile on her face made hers walked away a plain looking flyer in her hand.


End file.
